The invention pertains to portable chairs for outdoorsmen, and more particularly, to such chairs which are collapsible and reconfigurable to accommodate the variations in terrain.
Hunting remains a popular sport throughout the world. Recreational hunters own and maintain a wide spectrum of hunting equipment, specialized for use in hunting particular game, during particular seasons and in particular terrain.
Popular among hunters of wild birds (such as turkeys) are low-profile seats. It is known that seating positions close to the ground provide advantages for such hunters, and as a result, a number of portable chairs have been developed for those engaged in hunting of wild birds. Because the sport requires substantial patience and finds the hunter located in unimproved, remote wilderness areas, it can be difficult to find and occupy a suitable position for hunting unless the hunter is equipped with a comfortable, portable and lightweight chair.
A number of devices have been developed for this specific purpose. A typical hunter""s stool is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,589,661, issued to Harris. This device is designed in the form of conventional folding director""s chair.
Another effort at providing a lightweight, foldable and comfortable low-profile chair is disclosed by Wright, in U.S. Pat. No. Des. 343525. Rigid plastic chairs for hunting purposes have also been developed by Wend, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,015,190 and Minneman, et al., in U.S. Pat. No. Des. 454,437S.
A significant problem in existing designs is their limited adaptability to variations in slope of the terrain in which the hunter sits. Rarely is the ground selected for the hunter""s position level, and chairs having backs may be difficult to conform to the variations in the terrain with which the hunter is presented. At the same time, it is desirable for the chair to be located off the surface of the ground, since chairs such as those taught by Wright tend to absorb dirt and moisture, and transmit the cold temperatures of the ground through to the hunter""s body. Additionally, current low-profile designs tend to be bulky, even when folded, a disadvantage when considering the amount of material which must be carried to the hunting site by the hunter.
There exists, therefore, a need for an improved portable hunting chair which has features desirable to hunters, particularly the ability to adapt the position of the chair to variations in slope while still providing to the hunter a relatively flat surface on which to rest while awaiting his prey.
The present invention addresses the foregoing, and other needs, by providing a foldable chair, complete with a seat back that folds against the seat bottom when being carried so as to provide a low profile, lightweight and portable package.
In use, the seat has multiple configurations which, including one for stowage of the seat back, as well as re-positioning the seat back in relationship to the seat base. By providing the seat base with leg members of different heights, the seat can be easily positioned on sloped terrain and still provide to the hunter a substantially horizontal seating surface.
Consistent with these aspects of the invention, a foldable chair is provided with a seat base assembly having a seat bottom frame covered with a fabric seat bottom, a seat back which is provided with an upper rest and a lumbar support, and a pair of pivoting support arms which allow the seat back assembly to be easily repositioned from one side of the seat base assembly to the other. The legs which support the seat base assembly are higher at one end of the seat base assembly than they are at the other, allowing the seat base assembly to be oriented in a more or less horizontal position regardless of the slope on which the seat is placed. Because the seat back assembly is articulating, it can be repositioned from one side of the seat base assembly to the other, thereby insuring that the user has a back support regardless of the orientation of the seat base assembly.
By providing the seat base assembly and back assembly with appropriate pivot points, the entire seat can be folded flat for transport or used as a seat with the back folded. Further, by providing shoulder straps integral with the seat bottom frame, the folded assembly can be easily transported in a knapsack-like fashion by the hunter, or strapped to other items of the hunter""s equipment.
The chair has additional features, including camouflage coloring to render the chair less visible in the hunting environment.
These and other advantages and features of the invention are described in detail in the description and claims annexed hereto and forming a further part hereof. A full understanding of the invention, and the advantages and objectives obtained through its design and use will be apparent from a study of the attached drawings and the following detailed description.